You have done wonderful things
Wed, 24 May, 2006: Today’s Bible readings.
1 O LORD, you are my God;
I will exalt you; I will praise your name,
for you have done wonderful things,
plans formed of old, faithful and sure.
2 For you have made the city a heap,
the fortified city a ruin;
the foreigners’ palace is a city no more;
it will never be rebuilt.
3 Therefore strong peoples will glorify you;
cities of ruthless nations will fear you.
4 For you have been a stronghold to the poor,
a stronghold to the needy in his distress,
a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat;
for the breath of the ruthless is like a storm against a wall,
5 like heat in a dry place.
You subdue the noise of the foreigners;
as heat by the shade of a cloud,
so the song of the ruthless is put down.
God has done wonderful things. No question about it. The marvelous things God has done are without number. We could never list all the amazing things God has done. So of all the things to choose from, what does Isaiah pick an example of a wonderful thing leading to his praise?
God’s destruction of His enemies. The destruction of the foreign powers that have oppressed and harassed His people.
What do we learn from this?
Not only is God in control of things to the point of raising up and bringing down nations according to His own purpose, but He also cares deeply for His own people. He protects them and acts to bring them salvation. He is a stronghold and shelter to the poor and needy. But He destroys the cities and palaces of the oppressors.
Isaiah tells us that God’s act of preserving His people and judging His enemies is something that should get our attention. It should bring us to praise Him. It is a wonderful thing He has done in the past. And it is an amazing thing He is doing for us now as well.
Where is Christ in this passage?
Jesus Christ has won the salvation of all His people. In doing so, He has destroyed the power of the greatest enemy, death, over them. God’s people no longer need to fear death, for even death is a conquered foe, living in subjection to the reign of Jesus Christ.
